1892
Aug. 24
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- Clear and rather sultry in the forenoon, a cool
S. E. breeze in afternoon.

  Driving with C. - 9 to 11 A.M. - about the village and
through the Virginia road. Saw few birds except Song
Sparrows and heard nothing sing. The rum cherries are
ripening fast and Cedar Birds & Robins are already
eating them. Near one large tree I saw two Flickers;
they, also, are very fond of these cherries.

  To Ball's Hill alone at 3 P.M. paddling most of the
way. Near the foot of Beaver-dam Rapid a large Mink
crossed the river 100 yds. or more in advance of me.
I recognized him at once by the large, bushy tail
held well out of water and perfectly motionless [diagram]
A Must rat will occasionally carry his tail in much
the same way but he is sure to move it every second
or so and usually waves or vibrates it incessantly.
Another point of difference was the greater space between
the head and tail (the back was entirely submerged). of the Mink
At a distance the tail looked like the head of a
second and larger animal following the first closely.
This Mink swam much more slowly than the one I
saw in the Damsdale pool last May and no faster than
a Musk rat. He went ashore very noiselessly entering
a bed of pickerel weed without making any plashing
or agitating the stems of the plants as a Musk rat
would have done. I did not try to overtake him
but on the contrary stopped paddling as soon as
I first sighted him and watched him through
my glasses. He did not appear to notice me at all.
[margin]Mink swims
the river[/margin]